Khutbah Rules

1. Once the people have gathered together, the imam should sit on the mimbar and the mu'azzin should call out the azhan in front of him. Immediately after the azhan, the imam should stand up and deliver the khutbah.

2. Twelve things are sunnah in the khutbah: (a) The person delivering the khutbah should be standing, (b) Two khutbahs should be delivered, (c) He must sit in between both the khutbahs to such an extent that Sub'hanallah could be recited three times, (d) He must be pure from hadath-akbar and hadath-asghar, (e) While delivering the khutbah, he must face the people, (f) He must recite A'uzhu billahi minash shaytanir rajeem in his heart before commencing with the khutbah, (g) He must deliver the khutbah in such a way that all the people can hear his voice, (h) The subject matter of the khutbah must comprise of the following eight things: (i) gratitude to Allah , (ii) praise to Allah , (iii) testifying the Oneness of Allah and the prophethood of The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), (iv) salutations to The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), (v) admonition and advice, (vi) recitation of verses or a Surah from the Quran, (vii) to repeat all these things in the second khutbah as well, (viii) to make dua for the Muslims instead of giving advice and admonition in the second khutbah.

Factors which are sunnah for the khutbah itself are. (i) The khutbah should not be too lengthy. Instead, it should be shorter than the salah. (j) To deliver the khutbah from the mimbar. If there is no mimbar, one should stand up by taking support from a staff or rod. (k) Both the khutbahs have to be in Arabic. To deliver the khutbah in any other language or to add any poetry or idioms of another language is makruh-tahrimi. (l) Those listening to the khutbah should face the qiblah.

In the second khutbah it is mustahab to make du’a for The Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) family, companions, wives, and specifically for the khulafa-raashidin, Hamzah and Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them all). It is also permissible to make dua for the khalif or sultan of darul-islam. But it is makruh-tahrimi to praise him for things which are not true.

3. Once the imam stands up to deliver the khutbah, it is makruh-tahrimi to offer any salah or to speak with each other. However, it is permissible for the saahib-tarteeb to offer his qada salah at that time. In fact, it is wajib for him to offer his qada salah.

4. Once the khutbah commences, it is wajib for all those present to listen to the khutbah. This is irrespective of whether they are sitting near the imam or far away from him. It is also makruh-tahrimi to do such a thing which will distract one from listening. Just as eating, drinking, talking, walking, making salam, answering to a salam, reading some tasbeeh, teaching someone a ruling of the Shari’ah is prohibited while one is in salah, it is also prohibited while the khutbah is being delivered. However, it is permissible for the one who is delivering the khutbah to show a ruling of the Shari’ah while he is delivering his khutbah.

5. If the khutbah commences while one is offering one’s salah, it is better to complete it if it is sunnah-mu’akkadah. If it is a nafl salah, one should make salaam after two rakaats.

6. It is makruh-tahrimi for the muqtadis as well as the imam to raise their hands and make dua in between the two khutbahs when the imam is sitting. However, it is permissible to make du’a in one's heart without raising one's hands as long as one does not say anything out loud with one’s tongue - neither softly nor loudly.

7. It is permissible to deliver a khutbah while looking into a book.

8. If The Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) name is mentioned in the khutbah, it is permissible for the muqtadis to send salawat to him in their hearts.

9. In order to benefit from the congregation of Friday and to use this occasion for educating non-Arab Muslims, a bayan (lecture) in the local language can be delivered before the second Adhan and two Arabic khutbahs. After the second Adhan the Arabic Khutbahs are delivered followed by the Jumu'ah prayer.